On this date in 1986, 305-based Hip Hop trio 2 Live Crew released their debut album 2 Live Crew Is What We Are on their independent imprint Luke Skyywalker Records.
This album serves as the main precursor to the legendary Miami bass sound as well as predicates almost all other modern, R-rated and X-rated Hip Hop music. Featuring lead MCLuther Campbellaka Luke Skyywalker, Brother Marquis and the late Fresh Kid Ice, the debut album from the nastiest group in the game had titles that made radio DJs cringe such as “Throw That D**k”, We Want Some P***y”, which both became popular anthems of Miami Hip Hop.
Salute to the iconic 2 Live Crew for their unprecedented contribution to Hip Hop music on this album and all those that followed. RIP to Chris Wong Won akaFresh Kid Ice, who passed away earlier this month at age 53. The Crew is forever etched in their place in Hip-Hop history!
Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us,” a diss track aimed at Drake, remains #1 on YouTube’s US Top Songs and ranks #3 on Global Top Songs. Boosted by a recently released video, the track garnered over 34.2 million global views during the charting period. Lamar’s song “Euphoria” is also at #45, and he ranks #2 on US Top Artists.
Just last week, Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us” surged back to the No. 1 spot on the Billboard Hot 100 Songs chart following the July 4 premiere of its official video. The track marks its second week at the top, after debuting at No. 1 nine weeks earlier.
The song, released under pgLang/Top Dawg/Aftermath/Interscope/ICLG, has solidified its place in pop culture, maintaining positions between Nos. 2 and 6 for eight weeks, including the last two at No. 3. Lamar achieves his first multi-week Hot 100 No. 1 as a solo artist, having previously led for a week in 2017 with “Humble.”
“Not Like Us” boasts 53.8 million official streams (up 20%), 40 million radio airplay audience impressions (up 9%), and 8,000 units sold (up 16%) in the U.S. from July 5-11. This marks the song’s fifth week with over 50 million weekly streams, a 2024 record.
In addition, the track ascends 2-1 on the Streaming Songs chart, 6-4 on Digital Song Sales, and reaches a new peak at 10-9 on Radio Songs.
Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, released their 2nd LP “East 1999 Eternal July 25, 1995, on Ruthless Records
Four months after the death of rapper/executive producer Eazy-E, Oleveland rap quartet Bone Thugs-N-Harmony released their 2nd studio album East 1999 Eternal. Today marks 20 years since the release of the HipHop classic. With songs like “Tha Crossroads” and “First of The Month”, the album became the group’s best-selling album, with over five million copies sold in the United States and ten million worldwide.
The melodic LP samples songs like “Make Me Say It Again Girl” by The Isley Brothers on “Tha Crossroads”; “Reasons” by Earth, Wind & Fire on “Budsmokers Only”; “I’d Rather Be With You” by Bootsy’s Rubber Band on “Mo Murda” and “I Will Follow Him” by Little Peggy March on “Me Killa”, making it an instant cult classic.
“Tha Crossroads”, dedicated to Easy E, is Bone’s Grammy Award–winning song, as well as one of the group’s most popular and biggest selling single to date; check it out above.
One of the most intriguing and insightful full-length albums to drop during a time when mixtapes were at their apex was Queensbridge legend Cormega’s first studio LP, aptly titled The Realness, released in 2001 on the indie LandSpeed imprint.
With an array of multi-faceted producers such as Queensbridge cohort Havoc of Mobb Deep, DJ J-Love, Sha Money XL, The Alchemist, and even Mega himself, this was the introduction to the life of the street legend that the Hip Hop world first heard about on Nas’ “One Love.” This album also followed Mega’s release from The Firm after only one chance to shine, which was on the epic “Affirmative Action” single alongside Foxy Brown, Nas, and AZ. So The Realness served as a redemption of sorts after being dropped from Def Jam, showing not only that the label made a mistake dropping a stellar artist but also that it missed out on the unveiling of one of the best albums of 2001.
The 15-track hidden gem, ironically one of the most slept-on albums of 2001, contains a slew of classic yet under-the-radar tracks that resonated with core fans of Queensbridge crime rhyme and beyond. Songs like “They Forced My Hand” featuring original Juice Crew member Tragedy Khadafiaka Intelligent Hoodlum, “Thun & Kicko” with the late Prodigy of Mobb Deep, his “5 For 40” a cappella, the classic “R U My Nigga”, his ode to Hip Hop “American Beauty,” “Killaz Theme”, a hidden track featuring Prodigy and Havoc and an entire vibe of “Realness” that could only be given to the people through Cormega’s unique perspective.
Salute to Mega for dropping this important piece of Hip Hop history!
Lupe Fiasco is hitting the road this Fall with his Samurai Tour, promoting his highly praised album, which was released in June on the 1st and 15th.
The tour will commence on Oct.3rd at Terminal 5 in New York City and span 19 cities, culminating in Los Angeles at Novo on Nov. 24th.
Notable stops include Atlanta’s Variety Playhouse on Nov. 14th and a special homecoming show in Chicago at Salt Shed on Nov. 10th. Following the album’s critical success, the tour promises fans an opportunity to experience Fiasco’s new material live.
Tickets for the Samurai Tour will go on sale Friday, July 26th, at 10 a.m. local time, allowing fans to secure their spots early. The tour will showcase Fiasco’s dynamic live performance style, blending his latest work with fan favorites.
“Samurai Tour” Dates: 10/3 – New York, NY (Terminal 5) 10/4 – Hartford, CT (The Webster) 10/5 – Philadelphia, PA (Union Transfer) 10/6 – Boston, MA (Royale) 10/10 – Columbus, OH (Columbus Athenaeum) 10/11 – Cleveland, OH (TempleLive Cleveland Masonic) 10/18 – Fort Collins, CO (Washington’s FoCo) 10/19 – Denver, CO (Summit) 10/24 – Solana Beach, CA (Belly Up) 10/25 – Ventura, CA (Ventura Music Hall) 10/26 – Pomona, CA (Fox Theater Pomona) 11/9 – St. Louis, MO (The Factory at The District) 11/10 – Chicago, IL (Salt Shed) 11/14 – Atlanta, GA (Variety Playhouse) 11/15 – Norfolk, VA (The NorVa) 11/16 – Washington, D.C. (The Howard Theatre) 11/21 – San Francisco, CA (The Warfield) 11/22 – Santa Cruz, CA (The Catalyst) 11/24 – Los Angeles, CA (The Novo)
Kehlani has announced the CRASH WORLD TOUR, her highly anticipated tour following the release of her latest album, CRASH.
The tour, produced by Live Nation, will span 31 cities across North America, starting on September 4th at the Armory in Minneapolis. The tour will include stops in major cities such as Chicago, New York, and Los Angeles, concluding at the Chase Center in San Francisco on November 2nd.
Special guests FLO and ANYCIA will join Kehlani on the tour, adding extra excitement to the already anticipated performances. Tickets for the CRASH WORLD TOUR will be available for Citi card members starting July 23 at 2 p.m. local time through the Citi Entertainment program, and the general public can purchase tickets beginning July 26 at 10 a.m. local time via Kehlani.com.
This tour marks Kehlani’s return to the stage, promising fans an unforgettable experience featuring new music and dynamic performances.
CRASH 2024 NORTH AMERICA TOUR DATES: Wed Sep 04 – Minneapolis, MN – Armory Fri Sep 06 – Chicago, IL – Byline Bank Aragon Ballroom Tue Sep 10 – Detroit, MI – Michigan Lottery Amphitheatre Wed Sep 11 – Toronto, ON – Scotiabank Arena Fri Sep 13 – Bridgeport, CT – Hartford HealthCare Amphitheater Sat Sep 14 – Camden, NJ – Freedom Mortgage Pavilion Tue Sep 17 – Boston, MA – MGM Music Hall at Fenway Wed Sep 18 – Fairfax, VA – EagleBank Arena Fri Sep 20 – Brooklyn, NY – Barclays Center Sat Sep 21 – Portsmouth, VA – Atlantic Union Bank Pavilion Mon Sep 23 – Louisville, KY – The Louisville Palace Theatre Tue Sep 24 – Atlanta, GA – Lakewood Amphitheatre Wed Sep 25 – New Orleans, LA – The Fillmore New Orleans Fri Sep 27 – Miami, FL – FPL Solar Amphitheater at Bayfront Park Sat Sep 28 – Tampa, FL – Yuengling Center Tue Oct 01 – Raleigh, NC – Red Hat Amphitheater Wed Oct 02 – Charlotte, NC – Skyla Credit Union Amphitheatre Tue Oct 08 – Houston, TX – 713 Music Hall Fri Oct 11 – Dallas, TX – The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory Sat Oct 12 – Rogers, AR – Walmart AMP Tue Oct 15 – Denver, CO – Fillmore Auditorium Wed Oct 16 – Salt Lake City, UT – Rockwell at The Complex Fri Oct 18 – Seattle, WA – Climate Pledge Arena Sat Oct 19 – Portland, OR – Theater of the Clouds Mon Oct 21 – Vancouver, BC – Doug Mitchell Thunderbird Sports Centre Wed Oct 23 – Wheatland, CA – Hard Rock Live Fri Oct 25 – San Diego, CA – Viejas Arena Sat Oct 26 – Las Vegas, NV – Michelob ULTRA Arena Tue Oct 29 – Phoenix, AZ – Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre Wed Oct 30 – Los Angeles, CA – Kia Forum Sat Nov 02 – San Francisco, CA – Chase Center
Globally renowned producer and DJ Diamante Blackmon, known as GORDO, has announced the tracklist for his forthcoming self-titled album, DIAMANTE, set to drop on July 26th via Ultra Records. This highly anticipated release follows his transformative journey from Carnage to GORDO, showcasing a blend of genres and a diverse roster of collaborators.
DIAMANTE marks GORDO’s debut solo album after years of influential collaborations with top artists like Drake, Bad Bunny, and Nicki Minaj. The album features 15 tracks, reflecting GORDO’s artistic evolution and dedication, including collaborations with Drake, Fuerza Regida, Leon Bridges, Rampa, and Maluma. GORDO describes the album as a deeply personal project, blending electronic dance music with Hip Hop, Pop, Reggaeton, Indie, and Jazz influences.
“I’m so proud of how ‘DIAMANTE’ turned out. At this point, there’s nothing I would change; I guess that’s why it took four years—to ensure I could look at it and know it’s perfect,” Gordo says of the album. “It’s the most emotional project I’ve worked on in my life. It features work from artists I’ve looked up to and those who inspire me, some I’ve known for years and others I’ve met more recently.”
The album opens with “Guard Down,” a contemplative track featuring &ME and vocals by Alice Aera, showcasing GORDO’s signature manipulation of vocal pitches. Notable tracks include “Sideways” with Drake and “Honeyland” featuring Afshin Momadi, transitioning smoothly into dancefloor-ready beats. “Easier” with Rampa and “Target” featuring T-Pain highlight GORDO’s creative risk-taking, while “Lake Como” with Larry June offers a subtle yet profound impact.
The album’s narrative intertwines with GORDO’s Nicaraguan-American roots, celebrating his heritage through tracks like “Cafecito” and “Parcera,” featuring Nicki Nicole and Maluma. The album’s finale includes “WDYM” with Karolina Falk and “Aura” with NTO, blending melodic techno and heartfelt melodies.
“My grandmother is my best friend. During the pandemic, I moved to Hawaii with her, and for most of that time, it was just the two of us. This was when GORDO came to life and when I began working on most of the songs on the album. Each and every song on ‘DIAMANTE’ received her seal of approval. She’s such an inspiration to me, especially in the way she took care of her family during so many difficult times. That’s why I’m dedicating this album to her, my family, friends, and loved ones,” says GORDO
As GORDO prepares to release DIAMANTE, the album promises to be a pivotal moment in his career, inviting fans to experience his unique musical vision and personal journey.
B.o.B, the multi-faceted producer, artist, and songwriter, is thrilled to announce the release of “Bamboo,” the third single from his forthcoming project Space Time, set to drop on Aug. 16, 2024.
“Bamboo” is an uptempo summer track that brings a lighthearted, fun aspect to the lyrical and intentional Elements series, and is sure to captivate fans.
Space Time marks the fourth and final project in the Elements II series, concluding the Elements era. This series began in 2017 and has become a timeless favorite among fans, featuring B.o.B’s signature heavily lyrical content. The project promises to answer all the questions and conspiracies surrounding the unorthodox musical genius over the past decade. Each project in the series has been produced and orchestrated by B.o.B, showcasing his unique talent and creativity.
Fans eagerly anticipate the release of Space Time and the latest single, “Bamboo,” as B.o.B continues to push musical boundaries and deliver innovative, thought-provoking music.
On this date in Hip Hop history, Main Source, which included DJs Sir Scratch, K-Cut, and rhyming extraordinaire and production master Large Professor, dropped their debut album Breaking Atoms in 1991 on Wild Pitch Records. It was also the final album of the original trio with the two Toronto DJs and the Corona—Queens emcee.
Breaking Atoms was also the first project where then Queensbridge Projects lyrical prodigy Nasir Jones, akaNas, appeared on the ever-classic “Live At The BBQ”. Other classic cuts from that album include the break-up story “Looking At The Front Door”, the never-ending issue of police brutality on “Just A Friendly Game Of Baseball” and the visually-driven “Just Hangin’ Out”. Originally given a four-and-a-half mic rating, Breaking Atoms received the coveted Five Mics in The Source Magazine‘s commemorative 150th issue.
Salute to Extra P, Pete Rock, K-Cut, and Sir Scratch for making this album an undisputed Hip Hop classic!
Home should be where the heart is, but sadly, it is the place for tragic moments for many hip-hop stars. The latest is EST Gee, whose manager was killed after a performance in Gee’s hometown of Louisville, Kentucky.
According to TMZ, the manager, 31-year-old EST Big Beach, born Devontae Beach, was found dead with gunshot wounds in a car close to where the performance occurred. There is currently a search for suspects.
EST Gee was performing at the Summer Jam at the KFC Yum! Center, which also featured Lil Baby, Yo Gotti, 42 Dugg, and Icewear Vezzo. Local authorities offered extra security and issued a PSA ahead of the event.
